Archive for the 'Kamala Harris' Tag Under 'Total Buzz' Category

Wayne Quint, Jr., a 29-year veteran of the Orange County Sheriff's Department and president of the deputies' union for the last 12 years, has been hired by the state Attorney General Kamala Harris to help repair strained relationships with California's law enforcement agencies.

Quint announced last month he was retiring from his position with the department and resigning as union president. Quint served as president of the Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs since 1999. Quint is also the longest-serving president in the history of the California Coalition of Law Enforcement Agencies, which represents more 80,000 law enforcement officers across California.

The AOCDS and CCLEA both endorsed Harris' opponent, Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley, in the 2010 contest for state attorney general. Harris, San Francisco's district attorney, won.

Cooley courted law enforcement supporters during the campaign by railing against Harris' decision not to see the death penalty for the gang member who gunned down San Francisco Police Officer Isaac Espinoza in 2004 – a decision that brought her under intense political fire.

Democrats U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, then-state Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer and then-Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown all criticized Harris' decision. Harris' ties with San Francisco police officers never recovered and created still-festering animosity with law enforcement around the state. She remains resolute in her belief that the death penalty is both unjust and immoral.

As Register statehouse correspondent Brian Joseph noted earlier this morning, the national wave of support for Republicans didn't extend to California. Democrats have captured all the major statewide offices, and the only race still undecided could go for the Democratic party as well. San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris has a slight lead over Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley, 46.1 percent to 45.5 percent, in the race for attorney general.

Newsom had once derided the largely ceremonial office, but it has been viewed as a stepping stone to greater things. Newsom is only 42 and Maldonado 43, so they've got plenty of time left in their careers to seek higher office.

Newsom already tested the waters for governor but dropped out of the race almost exactly a year ago because of his lack of campaign cash and because of Jerry Brown's name recognition, even though Brown hadn't yet declared his intention to run. Because he's so closely associated with his support for gay marriage in San Francisco, however, it remains to be seen whether he would have support outside Northern California.